


At the End of the World

by queeriosn_milk



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alex Being the Best Big Sister, Alternate Universe - No Powers, F/F, Lena Being Badass, Maybe Superhuman Abilities, THAT GOOD GAY SHIT, Zombies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:09:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 20,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26470918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queeriosn_milk/pseuds/queeriosn_milk
Summary: Before Alex could respond, another explosion tore through Lord’s facility in real time, the front doors burst open with a cloud of smoke. Everyone held their breaths, the camera trained on the shadowy figures emerging from the building. Officers on the scene had their weapons at the ready, but there were a few too slow as the rush of bodies overwhelmed them, attacking everyone in sight. Bullets flew through the air as creatures with sickly green skin and deformed faces rushed the crowd. The cameraman lost control of his device in the madness, leaving the machine to broadcast cries of terror and the ominous image of dozens of feet running away. In the distance, one woman lost her balance as people shoved each other to escape. Before there was an opportunity to help her, the monsters pounced and began devouring her flesh. Alex could hear the screams of bystanders through the phone, their shrieks just as loud as the chaos around her as she raced through the city on her motorcycle.---The world is ending and who makes a better survival partner than Lena Luthor (except maybe Alex)?When Maxwell Lord's vaccine begins turning people into zombies, Lena is ready for anything and Kara is just along for the ride.
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor/Supergirl
Comments: 27
Kudos: 107





	1. When Shit Hits the Fan

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, lovely readers. This is my first time posting a story to AO3. You might know me under my ff.net tag angiesvoice. Please enjoy the first story I've written in a very long time. Comments make me want to write more.
> 
> FYI this will be a multi chapter. I just don’t know to change that up top.

When the first reports of a virus began to spread over the airwaves, Lena Luthor began planning. Her first move was to locate property at least 150 miles from any major city. Lucky for her, there was an abandoned prison 50 miles short of a small beachside down named Midvale. The prison pre-dated the 1950s, before the government moved towards mass privatization and incarceration, with lackluster lead pipes and electrical wiring that needed work. Within a week, she was able to hire a company to quietly replace the pipes and update the power sources leading into the fortress like structure. Next to be replaced was the rusted fence surrounding the property. Having purchased a large portion of the land around the main building, she extended the radius of the fencing and had watchtowers installed in each corner with high power security lights and alarms. Just inside the fence, there were already brick walls creating a secondary layer of protection that only needed minor repairs and adjustments. There would be only one main entrance with steels gates and hidden spike strips and another safety precaution she would keep to herself until necessary. 

For the next three weeks, there were delivery trucks coming and going from the property, carrying anything from dried goods to agricultural equipment to housing supplies, and even crates that only a select few knew the contents of. Reporters and enemies alike were growing suspicious of the immense preparation taking place, even though their concerns would be swept under the rug in favor of the mounting fear surrounding the virus said to have originated in the Wuhan Providence in China. It was near impossible to distinguish between fact and conspiracy when it came to the information the United States government was providing citizens, but Lena Luthor believed it was better to be over prepared than to be scrambling when shit hit the fan. 

From the outside, it seemed like the youngest Luthor was getting into the business of private prisons, the newest hobby for the wealthiest and vilest of capitalists in their great nation. Anyone who knew Lena would know better though. While wealthy by birth, the black sheep of the Luthor Family was an entirely different breed than her mother and brother who would do anything for money and power. She simply wanted to use her influence to help people; since taking over the family business and rebranding to L Corp, she’s spent more time building shelters, funding hospitals, and providing schools with new materials than any of her predecessors. Sure, there was the benefit of improving the public perception of her company after her late brother managed to climb his way to the top of the FBI’s Most Wanted list, but she really just wanted to help. The promises of other industry heads like Maxwell Lord, who believed he would produce a viable vaccine within months, only made Lena’s efforts look more suspicious. She wasn’t clambering for the government contracts being thrown at research firms and laboratories; if and when she was able to develop a cure, she was ready spend her own funds to make sure those who were unable to afford the free market prices her competitors were sure to offer could still have access to the lifesaving medication.

Thus far, the survival rate of infected persons left the world feeling optimistic and people were ready to return to their normal lives after months in quarantine, as if thousands of people hadn’t already lose their lives. Lena sympathized with their feelings, but the scientist knew better than to expect normalcy before there was more research done about this mysterious virus. While the survival rate was high, there were almost no studies being done about the lasting effects of the sickness and the work Lena was doing in her own facilities wasn’t promising a smooth return to normal life. When Maxwell Lord surprised the world and claimed to have a cure to the virus a few days shy of five months in quarantine, Lena was appropriately skeptical, both as a scientist and someone who knew Lord personally. While a genius, the man was a snake and a crook at the very core of his being. Still, the government was willing to rush testing and certification if it meant businesses and schools could reopen come September. The summer vacation season was nearly at an end and there was just too much uncertainty about the school system’s ability to coordinate online schooling for every single child. So, people lined up in droves for Lord’s vaccine. Across the country, millions of people, symptomatic and asymptomatic, were basically being used as guinea pigs, though many other nations were willing to show more patience when it came to get their countries back to track. 

Unbeknownst to her, the end of the world was at their doorstep just as Lena was walking towards her office for an interview with the budding journalist from Catco. According to her assistant, Kara Danvers was legendary among their profession, the only assistant to withstand working for the infamous Cat Grant for more than two weeks. Assistants spoke of the blonde woman like she was a god for surviving three years under Grant before the eccentric woman left for a sudden sabbatical. Rumors claimed that she was hiding out in a yurt somewhere, trying to find herself. She wouldn’t exactly have called them friends, but their circles were bound to overlap in such a small tax bracket; Lena had great admiration for Cat Grant and always thought they would make excellent friends as two of the most powerful women in National City and quite possibly the world. That’s why her curiosity was peaked when she learned that Catco was in the market for new ownership. 

Such philanthropy was exactly the reason Kara Danvers was waiting in her office on a sunny Tuesday morning. This would be the fourth time she accepted an interview request from the young woman in just as many months. Snapper Carr would be sending her under the guise of writing a piece on the new laboratory equipment being donated to the entire National City magnet school program, but Lena knew the young reporter was likely to grill her about the facility she was developing up north this time around. She was able to accomplish quite a lot before the whispering began, so she chose to not gripe about the invasion of her privacy. Her sources told her that Miss Danvers was from the very beachside town near the prison she was rebuilding as a bugout shelter. Their meetings thus far were very professional and Lena found herself taken by the thoughtful reporter. Even with the numerous skeletons in her closet, Kara Danvers still managed to be fair and just in her writing of the youngest Luthor. 

The blonde was proving to be a very interesting addition to Lena’s life, especially during this pandemic. When the CEO took over her family’s company, she made a point to reject nearly every interview request, but she found herself looking forward to meeting with Catco’s newest addition. Her kindness was a breath of fresh air in the face of the anger and discontent brewing among just about everyone these days. Everyone was scared about the future and the growing civil unrest was shining a blinding light on the disparities woven deep into the nation. While many writers were quick to discredit protestors and their intentions, Kara’s willingness to listen and make the voices of the unheard be known made her stand out among the sea of angry people who didn’t understand that the status quo needed to change. And, being drop dead gorgeous didn’t hurt her cause either. 

Adjusting the collar of her blouse, Lena took a deep breath before blazing into the office with an intensity that left the young reporter speechless for just a moment. Unfortunately for Kara, the information she gathered on Lena Luthor before their initial meeting left her woefully unprepared for the absolutely stunning presence of the CEO once she entered a room. You would think the fourth time interviewing someone would break the illusion, but there was an ineffable quality to the woman and the youngest Danvers child found herself powerless to resist. She allowed herself a moment to take in the dark haired woman fully, standing in expertly tailor black slacks and an emerald green blouse that highlighted the warm color of her eyes. The blonde must have underestimated how long the moment would last because the youngest Luthor cleared her throat, smirking behind the face masks that were becoming commonplace in the world. Kara quickly stood and held out her hand, before the weight of the mask on her own face reminded her of the precautions being taken to prevent the spread of the virus that has been the center of the news cycle for almost three months. 

“I’m so sorry, still not quite used to the times yet,” she exclaimed before pulling her hand back and hoped the mask covered the light blush she felt spreading across her cheeks. Lena noticed the flush, but chose not to comment. “It’s very nice to see you again, Miss Luthor. I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me. I’m know the pandemic has L Corp busier than usual.” The CEO took a seat behind her desk responding to the frazzled woman with stunning blue eyes. 

“How many more meetings will we need to have before you start to call me ‘Lena’, Kara? I thought we were past the pleasantries by now?” She jovially flirted.

She leaned back in her chair before gesturing to her assistant behind partially frosted glass, who entered carrying two steaming cups of coffee. The third woman was waved away before she could ask if they needed anything else after the cups were placed on the desk. Once the door was shut again, they both removed their masks stylized with their respective company’s logos. Kara took a seat in front of her own drink and hoped the pink on her cheeks would dissipate quickly. She reached for the drink like a life line but the light in Lena’s eye said this interview would likely only make matters worse. Like a dutiful journalist, she ran through the list of prepared questions she had in record time. Despite a very calm interview, Lena knew the young reporter was holding back on the questions she really wanted to ask. 

“Kara, why don’t you ask the question you really want to? We both know this interview about the new science equipment is just a smoke screen for you to ask about the new project I’m working on.” The younger woman straightened her back, as if to challenge the almost friendly tone the CEO was taking on about the invasion of her privacy. 

“Well, I wasn’t sure you’d be so forthcoming about this new project.”

“Oh, you’re most certainly right, but I think we’ll be able to come to an agreement about the information I’m willing to share with you.” Taking a chance, Lena stood from her seat, keeping her green eyes trained on the nervous blonde as she walked to the front of her desk. She moved the empty coffee mug aside in favor of taking a seat on the edge of the desk, just a foot away from Kara. Her smirk was wide and proud as the pink re-emerged across the younger woman’s suntanned skin. “I’m only willing to speak off the record but I feel I can trust you to keep this information to yourself until the time is right.”

Kara shifted uncomfortably in her seat as her body positively responded to the proximity of the beautiful woman in front of her. She wanted to lick her lips, but her mouth suddenly felt dry as sand as Lena angled her upper body into Kara’s personal space. Obviously, this interview was taking a sharp gay turn, and while the young reporter wanted the scoop on the new project, there was an opportunity being presented here and Alex would smack her for not taking full advantage, especially after listening to her baby sister obsess for weeks over the dark haired heiress. Internally, she was giving herself a stern prep talk in Cat Grant’s voice, her former mentor telling her to grow a pair and dive. 

“How about a trade? I wouldn’t want you to divulge vital information without offering something in return.” 

“And, what do you have to offer me, Miss Danvers?” The younger woman contemplated her response for a moment and wondered how her sister would handle this situation; Alex was much better at being charming and forward than her little sister.

Speaking of her sister, Kara jumped and broke the moment when her cell phone began to vibrate in her bag. She regrettably looked away for a moment to fish the offensive item from her bag, cringing when she saw her sister’s name on the screen. 

“I’m so sorry, my sister knows better than to call me during an interview.” She silenced the call before throwing her phone back in the bag; she could call Alex back later. Returning her attention back to the CEO, Kara took a leap of faith and stood from her seat so that the two women were barely inches apart. They’d spent weeks building to this moment, dancing around a mutual attraction that simmered below the surface of an amicable professional relationship. “As I was about to say, I believe there is something I can offer. Would you consider a date an acceptable form of quid pro quo, Miss Luthor?” 

Before Lena even had the chance to answer, her assistant, Jesse, came busting through the doors in a panic, causing the two women to spring apart. Jesse didn’t even bat an eye at them.

“Miss Luthor, turn on the TV!” Clearly, there was something important they needed to see on the screen. Reaching around the desk, Lena grabbed the universal remote that controlled all the electronic in her office. A 30 inch screen appeared behind a hidden slot in the wall, already running the local Catco news station. 

“This is Heather Davies with Catco Media. We are reporting from downtown in National City where an explosion has just taken place inside of Maxwell Lord’s research facility. Mr. Lord has been leading the world in vaccine development for the virus that has crippled the world. Sources say the testing taking place at this facility was becoming volatile and dangerous, but pressure from the federal government to produce results superseded safety concerns. Police and other emergency services have been on the scene for the last twenty minutes but we haven’t been given any other information.” 

The backdrop behind the reporter was chaotic, with Fire and Rescue preparing to enter the facility, smoke bellowing from the roof. Just as the first unit lined up outside the entrance, Kara’s phone began to vibrate in her bag again. Rather than send her sister to voicemail again, she answered the call on speaker. 

“Kara, where the hell are you?” Alex screamed through the phone. The background sounded like absolute chaos and her sister was breathing heavy like she’d been running. She could hear the Alex’s motorcycle roaring to life behind the noise of car horns and screaming.

“Alex, what’s going on? I’m still at Lena’s office. We’re watching the news right now.”

“Lord’s facility isn’t the only explosion. The compounds in his vaccine are highly unstable and at least five other facilities across the country have reported disasters, probably more by now.” Kara looked up at Lena with wide eyes. 

“What about the people who have already taken the vaccine? What’s happening to them?” Lena questioned, already running through the worst case scenarios in her mind. Before Alex could respond, another explosion tore through Lord’s facility in real time, the front doors burst open with a cloud of smoke. Everyone held their breaths, the camera trained on the shadowy figures emerging from the building. Officers on the scene had their weapons at the ready, but there were a few too slow as the rush of bodies overwhelmed them, attacking everyone in sight. Bullets flew through the air as creatures with sickly green skin and deformed faces rushed the crowd. The cameraman lost control of his device in the madness, leaving the machine to broadcast cries of terror and the ominous image of dozens of feet running away. In the distance, one woman lost her balance as people shoved each other to escape. Before there was an opportunity to help her, the monsters pounced and began devouring her flesh. Alex could hear the screams of bystanders through the phone, their shrieks just as loud as the chaos around her as she raced through the city on her motorcycle. 

“The vaccine is mutating people. Streets are absolute chaos. We need to get out of the city and find mom as soon as possible. There’s no telling how quickly this thing will spread, but we know that hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions, of people have already been given the vaccine. Right now, they’re just ticking time bombs. I’m on my way to you.” Kara turned to find the CEO, but the other woman was already behind her desk with Jesse, typing away at her computer while barking orders into the phone. An alarm began to sound in the building, drowning out the sound of utter insanity just outside the glass walls protecting them. 

“Jesse, please execute Plan Alpha. Get to the garage. We’ll be down shortly.” The third woman nodded before running from the office, barking orders to anyone still in the building. It seemed the outside world had bled into the building during Kara’s short call with her sister. Just a few hours ago, she was simply preparing for an interview and now the world was falling apart around her. And, somehow, Lena was incredibly calm and collected, even as the pandemonium outside grew closer and louder. For a brief moment, Kara allowed herself to peer outside the window, onto the ground floor, where cars lay abandoned and people were running from the horror just out of her line of sight. 

“Alex, don’t worry about me. You’re more likely to get caught in the chaos trying to get to L Corp. Get to mom. I’m pretty sure Lena has a plan here.” Kara told her, looking across the room at the CEO who was typing a bunch of stuff into her computer. 

“Are you sure, Kara?”

“I’m sure, Alex. Now, go find mom. I’ll meet you in Midvale. Please, be safe. I love you.”

“Love you too, sis. Be safe. See you soon.” She paused briefly before her tone became even more serious. “Luthor, you better keep my sister safe.” 

“Your sister is safe with me, Alex. We will meet you in Midvale.” When the call ended, Kara walked behind Lena’s desk to see what she was typing. The older woman looked over her shoulder briefly before turning away from her companion. She could see the situation taking a toll on the blonde, her chest beginning to rise and fall rapidly, despite the assurances she’d just given her sister. Rather than focus on Kara, she tried to upload the last of the files from L Corp’s server onto an external hard drive. She wouldn’t be able to help anyone if they didn’t have the data on the latest vaccine testing. 

“Lena? Lena, talk to me!” Panic blossomed in her chest and her throat began to close, her words coming out sharp and hurried. Unable to calm her rising fear, the blonde woman collapsed into the chair behind Lena, her arms reaching out for the other woman, who stopped abruptly when she saw her companion in a state of distress.

“Kara, you need to take deep breaths for me. In, out. In, out. Everything is going to be alright.” She placed her hands on the young woman’s cheeks and forced her to make eye contact as they slowly counted their breaths together. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“You knew this would happen.” Kara accused, pulling away from the other woman and putting distance between them, her back pressed against the far wall. Unfortunately, Lena followed her across the room, stopping just inches from the younger woman. She reached behind Kara, sliding open a hidden panel in the wall to reveal a duel fingerprint and retinal scanner system. Kara held her breath as Lena leaned over her shoulder to scan her iris, palm pressed into the wall just above her waist. Once the scans were complete, the entire wall behind Kara gave way, revealing a huge panel of high tech weaponry and gear. 

“I didn’t know this exact scenario would happen, but I like to be prepared.” The answer, while reasonable and logical, didn’t satisfy Kara’s concern. She stepped away from the wall and watched as Lena began pulling items from the wall, filling three backpacks with ammo, water, food rations, and other survival gear. 

“Could you have prevented this? Could you have saved all those people?” Deep down, she knew Lena wasn’t to blame for the situation at hand; she was just terrified by what hell would greet them once they left the building. There was no zombie/apocalyptic/end of the world movie that could ever ready someone for the position they were in now. Sure, Alex the badass FBI agent made sure her little sister could fight and shoot a gun, but knowing and putting those skills into practice was an entirely different story. They would very likely have to kill people to escape the city, people who’d woken up this morning, thinking they would see tomorrow. 

“If I developed a viable vaccine before Maxwell Lord, maybe. Despite the work I’ve done to turn L Corp around, I’ve been shut out from government contracts and research grants. Regardless, everything happening now is Lord’s fault for being a capitalist before a scientist.”

“That’s what the facility near Midvale is about. It’s a bugout shelter, isn’t it?”

“Something like that, yes. I had a bad feeling about this entire situation and I’ve been working to prepare for the worst case scenario. If there’s anything Lex taught me that’s valuable, it’s that being paranoid is better than being unprepared.” They didn’t have time for modesty, so when Kara’s mouth dropped open as Lena began to disrobe, the older woman only allowed herself a moment to smirk before she pulled on black cargo pants and a turtleneck sweater. Lena thought it was best not to comment about the shameless sharing the blonde indulged in while her chest was exposed. There would be time for that when they reached the prison. She handed Kara a second set of clothing, hoping they would fit the more muscular woman. Without missing a beat, she threw her clothes off, giving Lena a full view of the six pack that she kept hidden under simple shirts and rainbow cardigans. Once they were dressed, trading their heels for sneakers and socks, each woman slung a backpack over their shoulders and clipped a machete to their thighs. Lena paused as she reached for the assault rifle hanging on the wall. 

“From what I understand about your sister, it’s safe to assume you know how to handle one of these, right?” Despite the misfortune befalling the world, they shared a knowing smile as Kara grabbed the rifle, removing and replacing the magazine expertly. The final items they grabbed were matching hand guns and new masks, ones designed to filter their air and were equipped with communication devices, as well as the third backpack of gear and weaponry for Jess. Before they exited the office, the alarm still screaming around them, Lena stopped them and turned Kara’s body towards her. “I know this situation is terrifying, but I hope that you can trust me to get us through the city safely and to Midvale. We’ve only known each other a few weeks, but-“

Seeing a rant coming on, Kara dropped her hands to the other woman’s shoulder to stop her. 

“Lena, stop, I trust you. We will make it through this. The only other person I would trust more in this scenario is Alex and you gave her your word that you’d get me to Midvale. So, that’s what we’re gonna do, no matter what is on the other side of that door. Understand?”

“Crystal clear, Miss Danvers. Now, are you ready?”

They both paused and in this brief respite, Kara leaned down and pressed her lips to Lena’s, surprising the other woman, but they melted into each other’s’ bodies almost instantly. There wasn’t enough time to take in every feeling and every smell. Too soon, they were pulling away, the sound of their rifles clicking together pulled them back to the reality at hand. The women smiled wide at each other, the madness around them falling away, if only for a few seconds.

“I am now.”


	2. Kara Danvers: Dare Devil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our survivors are on the road, fighting their way through a zombie filled city. What dangers await them?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! I hope you enjoy this next chapter. If you have any ideas you'd like to see included in the next segment, feel free to drop a comment. No beta, so all mistakes are mine.

When Kara Danvers woke up this morning, she found herself singing and dancing through her morning routine, anticipation burning boldly in her chest. Today, she was going to interview Lena Luthor for the fourth time and she couldn’t escape the jitters coursing through her body while she thought about the alluring dark haired woman who liked to bat her eyes and flirt with the young reporter. Their relationship so far had been professional yet pleasant. Without a doubt, Kara had a ridiculously deep crush on L Corp’s CEO, at least that’s what Alex told her after listening to her little sister gush about the other woman for what felt like the millionth time.

There was just something incredible about Lena; her capacity of kindness was inspiring, considering the family she came from. Lex and Lillian Luther were never going to receive the Nobel Peace Prize or Citizens of the Year and their ability to have raised a woman so intensely focused on bettering the world was unbelievable. Sure, Luthor Corp made the standard donations to the local hospitals, easily written off on tax returns, but L Corp was becoming a humanitarian leader in National City under Lena’s helm. The cancer wing of the National City Children’s Hospital was expertly staffed with world class doctors and nurses, the best equipment money could buy, and Lena reserved two days of every month (often more) to spend time with the children fighting tougher battles than anyone could imagine. She made sure their Christmas lists were filled and their families were taken care of financially so those parents could focus all their energies on their sick children.

Despite the negative press she still received, Lena Luthor was a hero without a cape, always appearing when people needed her most and never accepting credit for the hard work she does. When they first met, Kara joked that the other woman was like Batman which made Lena laugh, what a magnificent sound that was. In that moment, the Catco reporter knew she was in deep.

So, when the world turned to absolute shit, Kara was lucky to have the youngest Luthor by her side as they slowly made their way through the nearly abandoned L Corp facility. Lena disengaged the alarm from behind Jesse’s desk, silence filling the building. It would seem that most of her employees got the heck out of dodge, probably to search for their own friends and families. With hope, they wouldn’t encounter any of the infected before reaching the parking garage; her people understood that they were better off developing their own vaccine than trusting a hack like Maxwell Lord. If only the rest of the country knew better, they might not be in this situation now.

The emergency protocols just engaged earlier had deactivated the bank of elevators in the hall, so they went straight for the nearest stairwell, their weapons clutched tightly but pointed towards the ground. The echoes of their footsteps felt more deafening with each passing floor, Lena taking the lead as they descended.

“Is this what you imagined your day would be like when you woke up this morning?” Kara joked lightheartedly from under her mask. The older woman looked back briefly, one eyebrow raised.

“I woke up this morning determined to ask you out. I can’t say playing out a zombie apocalypse movie is the worst first date I’ve ever been on.” She quipped sarcastically. The blonde chuckled behind her, raising her hand to nervously touch her glasses out of habit but they secure under the face mask.

“So, what are my chances of getting a second date?” Leaving the question to dangle between them, Lena stopped as she reached the door to the parking garage, pressing her ear into the door to check for any movement. When she didn’t hear anything, she pulled the door open and gestured for Kara to follow. The garage was completely abandoned, save for Jesse who was waiting by the furthest wall.

“I made sure to close to gate back once everyone evacuated. They all have directions to get to the facility near Midvale. According to the security cameras, there is a swarm of infected persons converging on the building, probably were already on their way because of the alarms earlier.” Even with the craziness happening around her, Jesse still managed to be an outstanding assistant. She was already dressed similarly to the other women and was quick to activate another panel hidden in a support beam. A massive section of the back wall disappeared into the ground, revealing a fleet of Ducati motorcycles.

“Wow, so when you said you liked to be prepared, you meant 110%?” Kara commented before handing Jesse the third backpack and mask she’d carried down the stairs. Lena removed her mask, using a carabiner to clip the device to her backpack before handing the third rifle and machete to her assistant.

“You can double up with me or Jesse if you don’t know how to ride.” Without a word, the blonde picked up the helmet on the nearest bike and swung her leg over to straddle the machine. Clipping her on mask behind her, she winked at the CEO, like she imagined Alex would, before securing the black and silver helmet on her head.

The communication device inside the helmet crackled as the other two women joined Kara on their respective bikes. As the engines roar to life, a screen inside of the helmet flicked with a map showing their location in real time as well as other information they would need on their journey.

“This is unbelievable, Lena. You really are trying to give Batman a run for his money.”

“Ha, Batman wishes he had the gear Miss Luthor has developed all on her own.” Jesse joked before pulling her bike towards the front entrance. Lena shook her head modestly before turning to Kara.

“Everything you need to know is on the screen inside your helmet. It’s automatically set to navigate you towards the shelter. You’ll be able to see mine and Jesse’s locations in case we get separated. If there’s minimal detours, we should be able to make it to Midvale on a single tank of gas in a few hours. After that, we can grab your sister and mother and relocate to the shelter. Sounds good?”

“Sounds good to me.” Lena readied herself to take off behind Jesse, but Kara reached out to grab her arm before she had a chance to grab the throttle. They both pulled off their helmets briefly to make eye contact.

Despite being fairly confident in her plan, there was so much that couldn’t be accounted for, just past the big metal gate Jesse waited in front of. Everyone knew how zombie movies went, there were always moments of unpredictability that made the journey to safety harder and for the first time ever, Lena had two people depending on her that she cared for immensely.

She’d known Jesse since college, having hired the younger woman with three degrees as less of an assistant and more like a second in command. Lena trusted her more than anyone and her wealth of knowledge was an immeasurable asset to L Corp. Beyond that, she was the only friend the CEO had that wasn’t seeking her friendship as a stepping stone to bigger and better things. She was like family, filling the place in Lena’s life that her mother and brother could never.

And, then there was Kara. The sunny journalist from Catco with a mischievous streak and abs for days hidden under unassuming cardigans and slacks. She was dangerous to Lena, like a drug she’d be more than willing to become addicted to. Lena was never one to be reckless with her personal life and her business, but the youngest Danvers had succeeded in infiltrating the protective walls she’d erected after taking control of Luther Corp. Even Jesse, her hard ass of a friend and assistant, was powerless to the effortless charms of this blonde woman who apparently knew how to handle high power rifles and ride a motorcycle. There were clearly many fascinating things to learn about Kara Danvers and Lena prayed they lived long enough for her to learn. She made Kara’s sister a promise to get her baby sister to Midvale in one piece and she intended to keep it.

So, when she leaned over the gap between their bikes to draw Kara into a slow kiss, she prayed for their survival any god who would listen. The other woman’s lips were a brilliant flame, consuming Lena’s resolve like the driest tinder, and burning through her body shamelessly. When they pulled apart, Kara grabbed her neck and pulled their foreheads together.

“You better make it to Midvale in one piece so we can do that again.” The blonde told her, serious as a heart attack. With little left to be said, she put her helmet back on and rode to the entrance of the garage, Lena shortly behind her.

“Alright, ladies, be safe and don’t take any necessary risks.”

No words were spoken as Jesse commanded the gate to open.

As if to punctuate the severity of their plight, the clouds above the city began to darken, filling the streets with a profound sense of foreboding. Since L Corp had substantial generators in case of power failure, there was no way for them to know that the city was without power until they were outside. Of course, the sound of the gate rattling open alerted the infected down the block. There was barely a moment to breathe before they zeroed in on the three women, a dozen or so coming from both sides of the block, their bodies beginning to deteriorate even more than the ghouls they’d seen on the news earlier.

There was only one clear path directly ahead of them, so Jesse took off straight ahead, already veering off course of the GPS, which would be ineffective at helping them navigate densely populated areas. Finding the clearest paths as they traversed through National City would ultimately assure their freedom. Kara and Lena followed close behind her, swerving through abandoned vehicles, some turned over and others crashed into lampposts. The driver side doors were wide open as if the owners left in a hurry, just like the homes and businesses with broken glass littering the sidewalk. They were able to travel forward for six blocks before the GPSs began routing them downtown.

“We need to be cautious riding through downtown. There will be more bodies to avoid.” Lena spoke through the internal mic. They took a sharp right turn onto a quiet road, narrowly avoiding an overturned firetruck on the corner. The side street was devoid of the infected, but littered with vehicles. Kara slowed her bike and allowed Lena to cross between the narrow pathways first. They both came to a full stop when Jesse did.

“There’s a park two blocks ahead. We might have a better chance cutting through there as opposed to staying on the road. Going straight ahead will put us 10 miles away from the entrance to Highway 45. We will need to reroute back onto Main Street if we take the long way around the park. And, who knows that kind of disaster that part of downtown looks like right now.”

“I think the park is the right choice. Just stick close and keep an eye out.”

They didn’t rev the engines and glided through the entrance as quietly as possible before following the paved path to the other side of the park. Everything seemed clear until they came upon the picnic area. There were dozens of tables set up for an event, a grill left burning with the nostalgic smell of summer.

Lena sighed, not at all surprised by the blasé attitude that people were treating the virus that was now the source of their worst nightmares. If only people were willing to suffer a few months inside to ensure a vaccine should be properly developed and tested. If only their government cared enough about its citizens to provide living wages and suitable unemployment benefits and guaranteed housing for the millions of people straddling the line between poverty and homelessness.

During their second interview, Kara confronted the CEO about the millions of dollars of personal funds that she was donating to provide overworked hospital staff with hazard pay, supply every hospital and clinic in the city with PPE, and purchasing tablets for every student in underfunded public schools. Each of these deeds were done anonymously, but the dedicated reporter knew how to follow a paper trail. Lena refused to take credit for going above and beyond, even as the media hounded L Corp about their development of a vaccine. Trailing behind Lord Industries saw as drop in their stock value and the board was breathing down her neck, but she insisted that she did not want the public to know about all that she was doing to keep National City afloat.

Beneath her pressed slacks and crisp collars, there was a tender soul hidden away in Lena Luthor, banished away by her adopted mother’s harsh words and the sting of her brother’s betrayals. In some ways, many people allow those dark hands to dig into their skin and burn the anger and self-loathing that a home without love causes into their bones. They lashed out at the world and themselves for the cards they were dealt and wanted others to know the pain they feel. Against the odds, Lena strived to be better, not just for herself, but for the people around her. She was genuine and loyal to a fault, a quality very few people were allowed to see. Kara hoped that she could become one of those people one day, if they managed to survive this zombie apocalypse.

Like a vengeful master, the darkness loomed over them, robbing the riders of light and security as the heavens began to pound a sorrowful beat through the skies. The first cries of thunder was deafening and the skies opened upon them like bullets. Even with the headlights on, visibility quickly became a luxury, but they surely heard the ferocious growls from a crowd of infected 500 feet in front of them. The lights drew the danger towards them and they were forced to split up to avoid being overcome by the mob. Jesse veered left and the other women jerked right, plowing through an empty baseball diamond.  
As the horde pushed them further towards the fence, Lena was forced to remove the handgun from her thigh and take aim at the creatures coming too close for comfort. The first shot was muffled by a clap of thunder, the second was superfluous as their pursuers had the sense to flee after their first comrade crumpled to the ground. She slipped the weapon back into the holster and steadied herself.  
She refused to look him in the face, the man who was no longer a man. Refused to think of the family and friends he left behind. No, she was not responsible for his death, even though his life was terminated by her hands. Maxwell Lord was the only one responsible for this mess and she would not be made to feel guilty for surviving. And, she wasn’t fighting for herself alone. Kara and Jesse were depending on her and probably the future of humanity. Failure is never an option for a Luthor and she wasn’t about to start now.

The screen inside her helmet fogged up for a moment when Kara exhaled as sigh of relief as the park gate came into view. She was desperate for solid pavement and to be off the muddied grass caking the tires of her bike. Both women spotted Jesse zig zagging between playground equipment 100 feet from the entrance.

“Ride ahead, Jesse. We’ll be right behind you.” Lena’s voice crackled over the headset. The other woman threw a distant thumbs up and darted for the exit. They followed behind her shortly after, keeping a sharp eye out as they crossed over one of the busiest intersections in National City, now riddled with fallen wires and crashed vehicles. After a dozen blocks or so, they finally came upon the river that split the city in two. Highway 45 was on the other side, just beyond the massive bridge that spanned nearly 5 miles across.

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge was an engineering marvel, standing at nearly 430 feet and 94 feet wide. There were four lanes that saw nearly 60,000 visitors a day. Today, though, the bridge seemed abandoned as they began to cross, stopped cars going in both directions. They showed caution as they drifted between vehicles, keeping their eyes sharp and their ears trained for the sound of company. When Jesse came to an abrupt stop, Kara and Lena pulled their bikes to halt next to hers.

They did not have to search long for what made the other woman bring their progress to a standstill. The CEO dismounted her bike to peer over the enormous section of missing bridge and the cargo ship that appeared to have crashed straight into one of the support beams. A piece of concrete crumbled under Lena’s sneaker when she stepped too close to the edge.

“Well, what do we do now?” Kara asked. Rain continued to pour down around them, the rest of the bridge shrouded in darkness. As Lena looked around for another way to cross, a bolt of lightning struck the top of the structure, illuminating the sizable horde clamoring on the other broken edge of bridge. They pushed and shoved at each other, even at the expense of those falling to their deaths in the cold, fringed water. Unfortunately for the three women, their only options were to turn back or take a gamble on the piece of fragmented concrete angled upwards by the top of the ship.

The dark haired woman climbed over the divider to stand in front of the broken road. She pressed a tentative foot down and was met with resistance, the ramp holding strong. Despite being a genius with multiple degrees, she trust Jesse more than herself to determine they had any chance of survival if they used this haphazard ramp. Already following her line of thought, the other woman dismounted and mirrored Lena’s position.

“I would estimate that there’s a 35.68% that we all make it across the bridge using this improvised ramp. And, that’s in a situation where the roads are dry and we can see more than 50 feet in front of us.”

“35% isn’t good enough. I won’t let you risk your lives like that. We’ll have to find another way.” Lena told the other woman sternly. The other women were too distracted trying to figure out the necessary variables to notice the lightning strike the part of the bridge they entered on. Kara watched as hundreds of infected swarmed around, locking them in place. If they didn’t take this risk, they would all end up dead regardless.

“Ladies, I don’t think we really have a choice anymore. We’re about to have some serious company. Forget the science and let’s go!” The usually mild tempered woman shouted through her mic. By the time her companions had turned around, she was already angling her bike backwards towards the gap in the divider. “There’s well over a hundred zombies behind us and I’d rather take a daredevil’s chance than wait for them to notice us.”

“No, Kara, wait. This is too dangerous.”

She was nearly a quarter of a mile from the ramp before she began accelerating, ignoring Lena’s warning as the speedometer needle crept higher and higher. Lena and Jesse were already racing to follow behind her as the Ducati launched high into the air. Time moved at a snail’s pace as the reporter cleared the horde by over 20 feet, the tires of her bike screeching across the slick pavement. Instantly, the zombies redirected their attention towards the newcomer who stood poised and ready with her rifle pointed forward. She fired several shots, eliminating half a dozen before Jesse, and then Lena, sailed across the gap.

Even without seeing her face, Kara knew the dark haired woman was boiling with anger, but she didn’t say a word. She just continued across the bridge and into the city.

“Looks like someone is in big trouble.” Jesse mocked jokingly, hoping to break some of the tension. When neither woman spoke, she shut her mouth and followed dutifully behind her boss and friend. Taking side streets and traveling through residential neighborhoods, they were able to reach Highway 45 without incident.

Much like the city, the road ahead was lined with cars, filled with bumper to bumper traffic of people trying to escape. It would seem that these were the people smart enough to refuse Lord’s vaccine. Thankfully, most people had the sense to resist laying on the horns, a cacophonous sound that would surely attract the monsters still inside the city.

With traffic moving in slow motion, Lena made the choice to travel perpendicular to the road rather than join the standstill. Her companions followed closely behind, their journey nearly silent for almost 75 miles. The internal clock of their helmets showed that it was nearly four o’clock in the afternoon, a substantial chunk of time having been spent on navigating the zombie filled and rain slick roads as safely as possible. Surely, without those hindrances, they would have made better time, but there was less of a rush now that they weren’t condensed like sardines in the city. They remained silent, even when they stopped halfway through to relieve themselves and chow down on protein snacks in a dense cluster of tress, the nearest rest stop nearly 20 miles behind them.

Kara knew that she would owe Lena an apology once they reached Midvale. She should have waited for Jesse and Lena to give the go ahead before taking such a risk, but the gravity of the situation became more apparent as they worked their way through National City. They didn’t even know what they would find when they reached the reporter’s hometown. Above all else, she needed to ensure that her adoptive mother and sister were safe; they were very likely the only living family she had left.

Sure, they weren’t blood related, but the Danvers were everything to her. When she had nowhere to go, Eliza and Jeremiah welcomed her into their home with open arms. Alex, accustomed to being an only child, was much harder to convince, but they eventually managed to learn the importance of sisterhood and were closer than two people could be without sharing a body. Kara cherished the love she found with the Danvers because they helped her put the puzzles piece of her life back together when an accident left her with catastrophic memory loss and parentless.

She only knows the details of that day from secondhand sources, but many of her memories were vague. The doctors said she suffered a traumatic brain injury that erased a significant part of her childhood memories and locked away the memories of her parents. When the Danvers first adopted her, she didn’t speak for weeks and she suffered headaches that would thoroughly incapacitated her. Eliza was patient with the young girl who saw the world with new eyes and gave her a new place to belong. Sometimes, Kara felt like they treated her like she was made of glass, but she knew her family intended well. When she felt most out of place in the world, the purple amethyst necklace they gifted her when she turned 13, just three months after meeting them, reminded her of the bonds they shared.

Once they followed the exit towards Midvale, the traffic on the road began to thin and almost disappear entirely with cars continuing towards larger communities and areas with supplies. The rain began to clear away, even though they only parted to reveal the darkening night sky, a glowing moon sparkling above them. When they entered town, they stopped onto of the cliff overlooking the beach Alex taught Kara how to surf. The waves were an inky color, beating destructively against the shore line as the moon reflected on the surface.

The three women dismounted their bikes and removed their helmets, shaking away the stress and fear from their day. They tossed their backpacks on the ground and hooked the assault rifles on the handles of the motorcycles. For a moment, it was easy to ignore the difficult journey ahead of them. First, they would have reunite Kara with her family and them migrate towards the prison almost 50 miles away. Then, they would have to regroup with L Corp’s scientists and their families, situating everyone into their new homes and determine how the space would have shared and the use of supplies. There was enough food and rations to feed a decent amount of people for several months, but the chances of their resources lasting any significant amount of time decreased with each additional person. Luckily, there was fertile land around the prison for them to grow fresh fruits and vegetables.

Thank God for Jesse because Lena truly wasn’t sure if she could handle this level of organizing on her own. She was anxious to continue their research because the spread of the virus was very likely to increase now that they would be forced to bunker down with an unknown number of people. She trusted her employees to follow safety protocols, but the priority would be to develop an effective vaccine as quickly as possible.

Kara cleared her throat loudly, drawing Lena from her thoughts. She grimaced when the other woman looked sharply at her.

“I’ll give you ladies a moment.” Jesse said before she strolled away towards the trees.

Her anger from earlier reared its ugly head as she looked over at the nervous blonde woman rubbing the back of her head, eye pointed towards the ground.

“About earlier-“

“Cannot happen again, Kara.” Lena surprised herself with her harsh tone. She wasn’t mad at Kara necessarily. She thought about and understood the place where Kara was coming from; she was desperate to get to her family and make sure they were safe. Granted, Lena didn’t feel the same urge to reunite with her own family because she honestly hadn’t spared a single thought all day for Lillian and Lex, but she was sympathetic.

“I’m so sorry, Lena. I can’t believe I was so stupid.” Kara exclaimed, her voice breaking as she tried to shake the negative feelings away with her hands. She muttered incoherently to herself, repeating the insult over and over, so distracted by punishing herself that she didn’t see Lena step into her personal place and grab her face. Her eyes were wet with tears as she tried to avoid the dark haired woman’s intense glare, but Lena Luthor would not allow herself to be ignored.

“Look at me, Kara.” She softened her gaze when the young woman finally lifted her head and wiped away the few tears that’d escaped and ran across her lips. After evading death and spending the better part of the afternoon on a motorcycle, the blonde was still beautiful, even more so up close. Lena resisted the urge to kiss her again because the present conversation was more important, but the temptation was great. “You aren’t stupid. Reckless, maybe. But, not stupid. I’m sure you were just trying to be a badass like your FBI sister, but you aren’t Alex. Acting without thinking not only risks your life, but endangers our mission right now, which is to get to my facility alive and find a way to save all the people running for their lives right now. We’re a team and we have to work together. Do you understand what I mean? I’m sorry I was harsh earlier. There was no excuse for that.”

“Oh, Lena, you don’t have anything to apologize for. You are right, I was being thoughtless and reckless. There are people out there counting on us, even if they don’t know it.” The older woman floundered for a second when the taller woman wrapped her arms around her waist in a tight hug. Like the hopeless gay that she was, Lena found herself blushing hotly as Kara pressed their bodies together. When she finally had the sense to hug back, she saw Jesse signing the ASL letters for G-A-Y from 20 feet away. She threw her middle finger up and pulled the other woman closer. They stood without moving for several minutes, relishing the first moment of peace since their interview began that morning.

With so much uncertainty in the future, at least they had this respite to nurture the tenderness blooming between them. They would have to have a conversation once things calmed down but holding each other, basking in the brilliance of the rising moon, was a gift they weren’t keen on refusing. Jesse whispered to a prayer to any god listening that the two women before her would have the chance to love each other because Lena Luthor deserved someone as loving and gentle as Kara Danvers to shoo away the dark shadows her mother and brother left on her spirit.

When they finally pulled apart, the clouds dissipated entirely, allowing the light of the moon to dance across the dark tendrils of Lena’s hair, casting a soft glow around her face. Kara forced herself to memorize the lines of the other woman’s face lest she forget. Unbeknownst to her, the mysterious woman was doing the same, using the pads of her thumbs to trace lines across the blonde woman’s face. She paused as her finger softly parted the corner of the lips she longed to taste for the third time that day.

Like a mind reader, Kara did just that, slowly licking across Lena’s top lip until her mouth fell open with a sigh. She tasted sweet like cake and of summer rain. Nimble fingers crept underneath her still wet sweater, leaving a trail of heat across pale skin, their lips dancing together delicately. Lena’s hands were cautious, exploratory as they pressed into the top of Kara’s back but her mouth was ferocious and teasing as she lightly bit into the smile creeping over the other woman’s lips. She moaned sensually as skillful fingers pressed firmly into her sternum, caressing just under her bra line. Before things could grow more heated, Lena pulled away with a grin plastered across her face.

“We should find your family.” She told the other woman whose lips were poised to pout, a face that would surely break Lena down to her core. Kara smirked down at her, licking her lips as if she was already lost in the memory of their kiss.

“You never answered my question from earlier.” Positioning her hands just above Lena’s breast, the heat of her palm bleeding through the sheer fabric. She could feel Lena’s nipple harden as she breathed deliberately and deeply from her mouth, chest pressing into Kara’s palm with each inhale and exhale. The air fogged between them as the temperature continued to drop. “Will. There. Be. A. Second. Date?”

“The first one isn’t even over yet. Seems a little presumptuous, don’t you think?”

“I prefer to call it confident.”

“Well, I hope you’re this confident later.” Lena pulled Kara’s hands from under her shirt and pushed her upper body away with a light shove. She yanked her own shirt back down and turned towards her bike, grabbing the helmet on the seat. “Maybe if you behave, there’ll be a treat for you later.”

Kara laughed loudly, the melodious sound echoing between the trees and trailing off into the night. She followed Lena’s lead as Jesse rejoined their little group, making the blonde realize that the other woman probably saw them making out. Refusing to blush, she refit her gear and weapons before climbing back onto the motorcycle. With a wave, they were on the road again, driving through the tiny community Kara Danvers called home.


	3. Home is a Place With Chocolate Pecan Pie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arriving at the Danvers' home, Kara, Lena and Jesse finally have a moment to breathe, and enjoy a slice (or two) of Eliza's Chocolate Pecan Pie. Time to eat, debrief, and hopefully get some sleep.

The town of Midvale is home to less than 10,000 residents, many of them blue collar workers like fishermen, small business owners, and the employees of the last remnants of American factories producing medical supplies and car parts. It was an idyllic place to raise a family, with sandy beaches and biennial carnivals where children won stuffed animals and couples kissed at the top of the Ferris wheel. When Alex Danvers was young, she’d wake up early each morning to surf, except for the months when snow blanketed the shore and warm hot chocolate was a better start to the day than crashing waves. Even in her teen years where morning volleyball and soccer practices replaced hot chocolate, she always found time for the water.

Unbeknownst to her, the young girl she was forced to share a room with followed her each day, keeping her distance as she watched, in awe of the other girl’s skill and grace with a board. Kara did not want to disturb or anger Alex, having learned quickly that she was less than pleased by the new arrangement. Neither ever had siblings and the learning curve was steeper than Mount Everest, even in the face of the tragic loss the blonde girl experienced before joining their family.

At least two years would pass before they bridged the gap towards sisterhood. The sudden death of Jeremiah Danvers was like a cold bucket of water dropping harshly on their lives. Eliza did her best to hold herself together, for Alex and Kara, especially for girl who’d already endured more loss than someone her age should. Still, the onus fell to Alex to be the glue of their now reduced family. She proudly carried the weight of her father’s absence on her shoulders, refusing to buckle under the heavy expectations of her heartbroken mother and the responsibility of being an older sibling.

Like a good big sister, she never allowed Kara to see how the change in their dynamic placed a strain on her. Alex wanted her little sister to have a hero, a protector in a world that never bothered shielding her from the harsh truth that sometimes people simply did not come home. Losing her parents was a dark spot on her otherwise sunny character, having incomplete memories made the loss that much more devastating. The passing of her father saw to the disillusion of barriers in their relationship.

Despite her reservations, Alex drove straight to Midvale when all hell began to break loose. She wanted to turn around and fight through the disarray in the city to find her sister, but she trusted Kara’s judgement about Lena Luthor. If there was anyone with the means and skills to save the world from the impending apocalypse, it was the youngest Luthor. Obviously, the CEO was paranoid enough to have prepared for the worst case scenario of this virus and surely would have used her immense resources to devise a plan beyond escaping the city.

Kara’s nerves are frayed as they traverse through the small, coastal town. According to Eliza, there was a line drawn in the sand among the locals with laborers determined to return to their places of employment on one side and nearly everyone else on the other. Much like the rest of the country, the thought of several more months without paychecks left those who did not have the privilege of working from home clamoring for Maxwell Lord’s ill-conceived vaccine. There was no telling how many infected people they might encounter, even in such a scarcely populated area.

As they drove down the main road, Kara pointed towards Midvale High School, a dark brick building that looked just as scary during the day as it did at night.

“That’s where Alex and I went to high school.” She told her companions, their heads briefly turning to inspect the building. They moved slowly, keeping their eyes and ears alert for any suspicious activity. With the street lights inactive, there were shadows around every corner and not a soul to be seen. Though, being undetected did not mean they weren’t being watched or followed.

“I bet you were the homecoming queen.” Lena commented jovially, imagining a younger version of Kara with a shining crown upon her head. Unfortunately, she couldn’t see the grimace beneath Kara’s helmet.

Her memories of that time weren’t great, filled with awkward teen years and a more socially inclined sister. Alex played sports and pretended she didn’t have a sister. Their lives between the four walls of the school were disparate, Kara’s more isolated and lonely. She struggled to make friends and certainly was not the homecoming queen.

“Alex was runner up her senior year. I spent too much time in the library for anyone to notice me.” Her somber words reminded Lena of her own childhood.

Living in the shadow of her genius brother and constantly under the scrutiny of Lillian Luthor’s sharp eye made for a solitary existence. When her father died, the woman was delighted to ship her husband’s lovechild to the furthest boarding school possible, finally giving Lena the chance to spring from her cocoon. Even then, she was forced to learn the harsh lesson that there were people who would only want her friendship for the things she could buy or the connections she could offer. Very rarely did they seek her for companionship. Jesse was the first real friend she ever made.

Now, there was Kara Danvers, a reporter of all things, who managed to worm her way into Lena’s life. For a while, she suspected deception on the part of the other woman, believing that she was trying to gain her trust in order to slander L Corp’s already tenuous name. She waited for the scathing articles, but they never came. Kara was always critical yet fair in her assessments of L Corp’s endeavors and she respected Lena’s privacy about the personal matters she wanted kept from the public eye. The CEO was quite literally speechless to discover that the sunny disposition and blinding optimism were genuine qualities. Everyone she contacted spoke so highly of Miss Danvers, from her time as Cat Grant’s assistant to the seemingly endless list of charities that she volunteered her time to.

It was hard trying to not fall in love with the bubbly blonde. Not that Lena was trying particularly hard. Even Jesse knew the cause was lost after their third meeting when her boss had to leave work early for fear that her employees might see the dopey grin plastered to her face after Kara left. She had a reputation to uphold after all.

There was only one way to fall for a woman like her: hard. And, boy, was Lena falling. If the few kisses they’d shared today was any indication, the end of the world would be more fun than the young Luthor had anticipated.

When the main road ended, Kara directed their bikes left, veering onto a dirty road that lead towards the alcove of homes tucked along the shore. During the summer, the beaches were inundated with tourists, providing the small community with the vast majority of its revenue in just three short months. Now, the houses they passed were likely empty as the virus severely curtailed the vacation season. The Danvers were one of the few families in town to actually live on the water.

There is only one house with lights flickering, a little green home with white blinds and a wraparound porch, sitting above the ocean on a cliff. The bikes’ tires crunch under the gravel driveway as they pull in behind to Alex’s bike and Eliza’s car, breath shuttering under the cool, beach air when they remove their helmets. Before they have the chance to dismount from their vehicles, the FBI agent comes barreling out of the front door, her weapon drawn. Lena and Jesse are about to grab their rifles when Kara yells out.

“Alex, it’s me. Put it away.” Hearing her sister’s voice, Alex’s shoulders dropped and she exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding since the last time they’d spoken. She rushed to embrace the young woman after holstering her gun, ignoring the gear wrapped around the other woman’s shoulders.

For the first time all afternoon, Kara felt absolutely safe, standing in her sister’s arms. Lena envied the love between the two women as she watched them hug under the porch light, likely powered by a generator nearby. There was an intimacy shared that she would never be able to achieve with her brother, not that she wanted to anyway. She feels a touch of nervousness when Alex Danvers releases her sister to greet the women behind her.

“You got my sister here in one piece.” Her words are not a thank you, per se, but they are still sincere. Alex shakes her hand and points to Kara, “I can’t imagine that was easy.”

“Oh, she did not make my job easy.” They shared a knowing laugh at the blonde’s expense, causing Kara to push her sister away with a grunt of disagreement. There was a beat of silence before an older woman came rushing from inside the house, her arms outstretched. Kara stepped away from her sister to meet her embrace, but Eliza stopped her before she had the chance.

“Gear off, first, dear.” The young woman blushed briefly as she divested herself of the assault rifle and backpack. She leaned them both on the banister and threw herself into her adoptive mother’s arms.

“Eliza, I’m so glad you and Alex are alright, I was worried sick the whole way up here.” Satisfied her family was secure and in good health, she introduced them to her friends. Jesse stood to the side as Alex and Lena whispered conspiratorially to each other. The CEO was more than happy to rat out Kara for her daredevil antics earlier if her sister’s ire would prevent future idiotic stunts.

The older woman left her second daughter on the porch to greet the young Luthor and her assistant.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Luthor and Miss Claremont. You have written several articles that I’ve utilized in my own work. You’re both quite brilliant.” Lena barely stops herself from preening, the compliment feathering at the untouched part of her that always wanted her mother’s praise. She feels Kara watching her as she tries and fails to disguise a revealing blush. Instead of ridicule, the blonde meets her eye with a perceptive smile, and shelving a conversation about mothers for the future.

“Wait a minute? Danvers? Eliza Danvers? As in ‘Three-Dimensional Printing for Heart Valve Repair and Arterial Reconstruction,’ by Doctor Eliza Danvers?” Jesse’s voice is excited, verging on hysterical when she pushes past her boss to meet the girls’ mother. Her mouth hangs wide open, flopping open like a fish as she stands in front of her hero. “You’ve pioneered the most revolutionary advances bio medicine. You’re like the Wonder Woman of bio-engineering.”

“Well, that’s a new one. Never been compared to Wonder Woman before.” She modestly boasts, linking arms with the young woman and dragging her into the house, Alex following behind them. Once they were alone, Lena’s gear joined Kara’s on the porch.

“You never told me your mother was a bio-engineering rockstar.” The dark haired woman mused, treading into the other woman’s personal space, just one step below her and delicately placing a hand on her waist.

“I didn’t tell you that Alex has just as many degrees as Eliza either. I hope you won’t hold that against me, Miss Luthor.” The women size each other up as a new series of clouds began to roll in, stealing the moon from view. Shadows danced across Lena’s face and concealed the weariness hanging beneath her eyes. Through the exhaustion, her eyes shined bright and her smile was mischievous.

“Forgive me, but there are far more important things I’d like to hold against you.” Hardly able to contain herself, Kara swallows boisterous laughter from the atrocious pick up line in favor of planting her lips firmly against Lena’s. For a moment, she almost loses her balance when the other woman pulls her closer, catching herself on the banister without ever separating their mouths. They finally part when the heavens rain down upon them, a clap of thunder following close behind. She draws Lena close, sheltering her underneath the awning.

“I think we can both agree that while you’re a genius, pick-up lines are not your area of expertise, am I right?” The blonde jokes, curling a damp lock of hair behind Lena’s ear as the other woman defiantly scoffs.

“I’m hilarious and you know it, Danvers.” She replied, forcing the blonde backwards until her back was pressed against the wall. “If I weren’t, you probably wouldn’t let me do this.”

Lena kissed her fiercely, making her head spin for a moment before she reversed their positions, covering the small woman’s body with her own. The action was unexpected, her mouth dropping open to whimper and accept Kara’s probing tongue. A flash of lightening illuminated the dark haired woman’s face, her lips swollen and her cheeks a vivid shade of crimson as her leg moved of its own volition to wrap around Kara’s waist. The blonde simple rolled with the punches and used a deceptively strong arm to hoist Lena higher, her lower back leaving the wall as her companion nibbled at her already tender lip.

The building of heat between her legs was agonizing, trickling through every one of her pores and setting her skin ablaze. She nearly explodes internally when Kara moves her mouth to kiss the sliver of skin not covered by the turtleneck sweater she wears. Her head knocks against the wall, arms curling around Kara’s neck to pull her closer.

“Kara, we have to stop.” Her voice is unrecognizable, breathy and wanton. She swears she hears a soft whine, like a puppy being told playtime was over. Still, Kara continues the assault on her neck, driving Lena absolutely mad with want, until the opening of the front door sends her flying across the porch.

Thankfully, it’s Alex and not Eliza who puts a stop to their impromptu make out session. She’s clearly aware of what was taking place just moments before and takes advantage of the situation, poking her head outside to stare eye them suspiciously.

“I guess I’ll just tell mom you’re too busy for chocolate pecan pie.” She tells her sister before slamming the door shut.

Before she knows what’s happening, Kara presses one last kiss on her mouth before grabbing their gear and dragging Lena inside the house, chasing behind Alex before the older woman can get her hands on her sister’s favorite treat.

* * *

The atmosphere of the Danvers’ home is pleasant, in spite of the circumstance that brought them to Midvale so suddenly. According to Alex, her mother spent the entire day in the kitchen, eagerly preparing for the moment both of her daughters would be under the same roof again, suppressing the urge to watch the madness of the world unfold on the television. Lena sipped her tea and wondered if this was what a real mother is meant to be like, devoted and adoring.

After a meal fit for an army, they retired to the living room for tea and chocolate pecan pie. The dessert was decadent, something Lena would never allow herself under ordinary circumstance. However, sitting around a coffee table with Kara’s family and Jesse was a situation that called for sugar and calories. There were pictures littered around the room of Kara and Alex, their youthful faces smiling together. If there was more time, she would tease them about geeky braces and period appropriate hair styles. This home has been thoroughly lived in, decorated with love and care by a mother, a true mother.

For a split second, Lena wonders where her own mother might be, if she is alive and unharmed. Or, had the vaccine morphed her into the monster she’d always been. The thought is fleeting.

All eyes are on her as she debriefs them about the facility she’s prepared 50 miles away.

“I did not know Maxwell Lord’s vaccine would be so volatile. I certainly could not have predicted he would initiate some type of Hollywood-esque zombie apocalypse by failing to sufficiently test his ‘vaccine’ before sending it to the market. Everyone working in the business knows Lord to be a greasy capitalist who only believes in the value of medical and technological advancement for the sake of money, but that never stopped this administration from seeking his services. When the pandemic began, I had a bad feeling that things would get worse before they got better. Little did I know just how dreadful things would get.”

She reaches over to re-fill her teacup while Jesse continues for her.

“Several months ago, Lena tasked me with researching and purchasing a facility fitting her necessary criteria such as being capable of housing members of L Corp’s staff as well as any family they brought with them, fertile land, and an electrical grid that would handle all the equipment we needed to conduct research. Eventually, the former Shelbyville Corrections property was purchased. Contractors worked for weeks installing updated security measures, replacing underground pipes, and fitting the roofs with solar panels. After that, I spent a month on sight accepting deliveries of nearly every supply you could think of, from clothing to agricultural supplies. Since then, everything has been waiting to be used.”

Their audience was silent as they spoke, forks scraping against plates were the only other sound in the room. If they strained their ears, they might have been able to hear the crashing of waves just a few hundred feet outside the door.

“How close are your people to developing a vaccine?” Eliza asked, setting her empty plate on the table.

“We thought there was a breakthrough two weeks ago, but the vaccine caused catastrophic damage to the lungs and diaphragm. The long term impact on breathing quality would have been counter-intuitive to curing the virus.” Lena told them honestly. She wouldn’t concern herself with privacy if there were two more scientists in the room that could help her unravel this mysterious virus.

“You never told me that.” Kara commented, returning to the pie tin for another slice. She greedily licked a glob of chocolate from her fork as she watched Lena from the other side of the couch.

“We didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up. Even if we did develop an effective vaccine, there would still be months of testing before human trials could ever begin. Lord was allowed to skip over the red tape put in place to prevent situations like this. But, people were pressed to return to Business-As-Usual, so money won out. Unfortunately, it was unlikely then and certainly impossible now to resume life as we knew it.”

“I always knew Lord was a bastard, but he’s really fucked up now. He better hope I don’t find him.” Alex grumbled, digging the heel over her palm into her eyes to rub away the exhaustion threatening to take them all on a trip to dreamland. When the second Danvers daughter reflexively yawned, Eliza began to clean up the mess on the table and ordered the four women to bed while she handled the dishes.

“We can leave for Shelbyville in the morning. I think we all need a good night’s rest before operating any vehicles. We should be safe for a few hours.” Eliza told them from the kitchen, leaving no room for disagreement, her wrists deep in soapy water.

Like the superb big sister she was, Alex shuffled Jesse upstairs to her own room, muttering about ways she wanted to kill Maxwell Lord. Her companion was silent, but nodded along as they climbed to the second floor, considering the numerous ways she would like to harm the man responsible for their situation.

With Eliza in the kitchen, Kara and Lena were left alone, sitting on opposite ends of the couch. For a few moments, they silently pondered the course of their day, until the latter shrugged her shoulders and turned towards the blonde.

“So, meeting the family on the first date. You’re mighty presumptuous, Danvers.” She joked, attempting to break the tension in the room. Luckily, Kara laughed as she stood up, holding out a hand for Lena to take.

“Nights not over yet, Luthor.” With a wink, she dragged the dark haired woman down to the basement which was converted from an office to a bedroom after Jeremiah’s death with their backpacks in hand. The switch at the top of the stairs illuminated the room in a soft, white aura from several strings of fairy lights placed around the room. They highlighted canary yellow walls covered in colorful artwork featuring grassy landscapes and futuristic domiciles, basking under the brilliance of a scarlet sun.

They told the story of a search for another world, one with which to seek belonging and acceptance in the face of a tremendous loss. She did not know this loss personally because she was too young to have remembered her real mother’s death, but the longing illustrated in Kara’s work was eerily familiar. Lena walked around the room, absorbing the little bits of information about the blonde woman from the knickknacks on her desk and the books on the hanging shelves.

Kara is introspective as she watches Lena experience the young girl she was living in the Danvers’ household. She remembers the relief of having her own room. Her relationship with Alex improved enormously when they weren’t living shoulder to shoulder, struggling to find a moment to themselves without the other interrupting their peace. When Kara was no longer plagued by frequent nightmares, having her own room allowed her the chance to explore painting as a form of therapy. In her final two years at home, when Alex was away at college, she spent more time at the beach and in front of an easel than anywhere else. Eliza was the first one to suggest she sign up for art classes at the community center. A minor in art history was a secret she kept to herself, even from her sister.

“I never took you for an artist,” Lena tells her, dropping onto the sunflower yellow blanket with a plop. She resists the urge to fall asleep immediately and forces herself to sit up again. The bed feels softer than a cloud, whispering sweet dreams in her ear.

“I’m sure you have secrets of your own.” She pondered aloud, wondering what mysteries lay below the heavily curated persona of Lena Luthor, CEO. Who was Lena when the makeup and tailored skirts came off, when she was free to be her most authentic self?

Kara sees her companion struggle to keep her eyes open, so she presents her with a pair of fuzzy pajamas and points to the small bathroom in the corner. When Lena accepts the clothes and retreats, the blonde takes care to fill her backpack with the few articles of clothing she had left in her room, leaving out two extra sets on the dresser for tomorrow. She placed the handgun still attached to her thigh on the dresser and went upstairs to use Eliza’s bathroom.

When she returned, hair wet from a hot shower, Lena is leaning against the headboard with her hair wrapped in a towel. She’s managed to uncover the senior yearbook Kara hasn’t thought about in ages, dust lining the hardcover. The page with her photo is open, her smiling face staring back at Lena among a class of similar young expressions, though the light did not reached her eyes. Without a word, she takes the book and leaves it on the night table, climbing over Lena’s legs to drop onto the side of the bed pushed against the wall.

“You look good in my pajamas,” she remarked, her provocative gaze leaving behind a frail of fire as she further appraised the CEO wearing her clothes, “though you’d probably look better without them.”

As much as Lena wants to continue their activities from earlier, she cannot allow the equally as terrible pick up line to stand without retribution. The blonde’s breath hitches when her waist is straddled, Lena’s body heat mingling with her own.

“So, are we competing to see who can deliver the worst pick up line imaginable? Because, I think you’re winning.” She mocked, making a show divesting her damp hair of the towel and flinging it across the room. Just a sliver of skin peaks from under the snug nightshirt as she raises her arms above her head to stretch, rolling her hips against Kara achingly slow. To her credit, the other woman does not miss a beat and replies provokingly:

“If I’ve won, then what is my prize?” 

In an unspoken dare, Lena snakes her hands under Kara’s tank top, nails dragging sharply across tremoring muscles. She does not mean to tease, but there is something deliciously tempting to see the bravado leave the blonde’s body as Lena’s hands inched towards her breasts. Eyes blown wide, Kara is the proverbial deer in the headlights, mesmerized by the rocking of narrow hips into hers.

She does not blink, does not breath for fear that if she moves even an inch, her body will shatter like porcelain. Just the sight of Lena Luthor looking down upon her with the eyes of a goddess made her feel like a foolish mortal, imprudent enough to believe she could soar in the light of someone beautiful beyond words. At the risk of her wings melting, she lifts her head to seal her lips against Lena’s, only to be denied by a devious smile.

“How would you like your prize?” Lena torments as she removes her hands to grasp both sides of Kara’s face, her breath hot against the blonde’s cheek, words tumbling from her lips like lava spilling from a volcano. “Would you like it fast? Or, would you like it slow?”

“I-I want,” she repeats the two words over and over, so aroused that her brain began to short circuit when Lena finally yank the thin straps of her tank top down her body and sucked a red mark directly onto her chest.

“Say it, Kara,” her murmured into Kara’s skin, teasing the sensitive skin around her nipple with unhurried flicks of her tongue. “Say. It.”

“Lena, please.” She nearly chokes on the simple plea.

“Oh,” Lena feigns surprise. Her scorching mouth closed around an already hard nipple causing Kara’s head to seize back into the pillow, a strangled breath clawing up her throat. A single eyebrow arched, giving the impression that she might wait for an answer as long as possible even as Kara’s sputtering came to an abrupt stop when Lena pinches the other nipple with the pad of her fingers. The temptress in her lap smiled wickedly when her prey cried out for more when she pulled her hand away. “I guess it’s dealer’s choice then.”

Without further fanfare, she finally kisses Kara, inhaling the soft whimper that escapes the younger woman’s mouth when Lena bites her lips harshly and then soothes the ache with a deliberate swipe of her tongue. The movement jumpstarts her brain and she immediately moves her hands to Lena’s hips, digging her nails into tender flesh. They move against each other painstakingly slow, exploring the delicious feeling of their bodies pressed together without an immediate danger looming in the forefront of their minds.

Finally in control of her own body again, Kara sits up suddenly, sending Lena almost tumbling from her lap. Strong arms grasp her thighs before she falls to tug her closer, legs spread wide as her lower body instinctively ground against the other woman’s clothed abs.

“Kara,” she gasped, allowing the blonde to assume control of her pleasure.

Lena acquiesces delightedly when Kara raises her arms to pull the sleepshirt over her head, throwing the scrap of clothing across the room and latching her mouth to Lena’s neck. Her bite is ferocious and deep, turning pale skin to a luxurious shade of purple. The dark haired woman moaned licentiously, her skin dripping with sweat that the blonde greedily licked away, moaning at the saccharine taste. Kara’s palm stuck to the small of her back as she worked her other hand between Lena’s legs.

Kara can already feel how wet Lena is underneath the flimsy pajama pants, legs twitching as they securely wrapped themselves around Kara’s waist.

“You’re so close already, Lena.” Kara whispered into her chest, biting and sucking at every piece of flesh she could reach. “I bet if I touched your clit right now, you’d come all over my hand.” She punctuated her point by drilling the palm of her hand between Lena’s legs with more force, the woman in her lap gasping under the pressure.

Lena looks down at her with stormy eyes, willing the other woman to stop her teasing, but Kara is too keen on watching the seductress fall apart on top of her, giving the dark haired woman as taste of her own enticing medicine. She uses two hands to rock Lena’s body into her, nails leaving crescent indentations on her hips as Lena clawed at her bare shoulders. The woman leaves marks of her frustration across Kara’s back, nearly breaking skin as her essence soaks through the pajama pants to coat Kara’s torso.

Kara is seconds from granting her clemency when the muffled sound of shattering glass startles them both. They freeze, straining their ears to hear a stifled scream. The moment is lost as they rush to cover themselves and race up the stairs with their pistols drawn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hit Me With Your Best Comment


	4. Alex Danvers is Kim Possible with a Gun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Who the hell are you?” Alex demanded harshly, sliding the safety back on her weapon.
> 
> She tensed for a moment, rapidly analyzing the shadowy room for an escape route and realized she was completely cornered. Shy of going back outside, the horde of zombies probably still searching for her, she was stuck right there. Without another option, she attempted to joke her way out of a hail of bullets.
> 
> “Wow, I guess four guns being pointed at me is better than being chased by zombies, am I right?” The stranger remarked sarcastically, slowly raising her arms above her head. She waited silently for the other women in the room to make a move, nearly jumping from her skin when an unseen hand reached out to grab her shoulder.  
> ...  
> An unexpected visitor force the Danvers Family and their guests to reconsider their plan to wait until sunrise to travel to Lena's fancy bugout shelter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back to Kara and Lena's Adventures with Zombies. 
> 
> I am absolutely garbage with narrative driven stories, so if you have any ideas that you'd like to see brought to life, feel free to send them my way!

Eliza Danvers was never a fan of violence. While she was a scientist, the majority of her work centered on the preservation of life, utilizing technology to improve the human experience. She believed there was no need to create instruments that intended to harm another person and was staunchly opposed to those who wielded them.

So, when her eldest daughter announced she was joining the Federal Bureau of Investigation, she knew the sleepless nights of her past would become permanent as long as Alex was a Special Agent. In the first two years she worked for the Bureau, Eliza called three times a week, wanting to hear her child’s voice as often as reasonably possible to assuage her fears about Alex risking her life on assignments she couldn’t even talk to her mother about. Fortunately, her daughter resisted the compulsion to be her usual hardheaded self when it came to accommodating her worrying mother. With time, the phone calls decreased to once a week, especially after Kara moved to National City to be closer to her sister. She trusted her daughters to take care of each other. Still, there are aspects of Alex’s career that she would never be welcoming of.

When the sound of breaking glass woke her, she did not expect to see the red haired woman barreling from her childhood bedroom with her government issued weapon drawn, clad in the pink flannel pajamas she left behind after departing for college. Jesse was right behind her, rushing down the stairs towards the source of the crash.

“Mom, stay up here,” Alex whispered as she took the steps two at a time. She did not turn on the light, wanting the element of surprise if there is already an intruder in the house.

When they reached the first floor, Kara and Lena were exiting the basement, looking too disheveled for two people who were supposed to be asleep a few minutes ago. They were about to charge the door alone when Alex held her hand out for them to stand behind her.

“Watch my back, rookies,” Alex commanded before pressing her back against the wall and gestured for Jesse to open the door. The other woman obediently took her position and waited for the agent’s signal. Soon as it swung open, the agent pointed her gun at the face of the intruder who tumbled over the threshold without invitation and slammed the door behind her.

Her short, dark hair was a mess of rain and leaves, breath coming out in rapid bursts as she doubled over with her hands on her knees. For several moments, she did not raise her head, unaware of the guns trained on her. When her breath finally settled, she raised a hand and used her fingers to comb back the tangled locks, clearing her eyes to see four figures standing around her with guns pointed at her chest, darkness obscuring their faces.

“Who the hell are you?” Alex demanded harshly, sliding the safety back on her weapon.

She tensed for a moment, rapidly analyzing the shadowy room for an escape route and realized she was completely cornered. Shy of going back outside, the horde of zombies probably still searching for her, she was stuck right there. Without another option, she attempted to joke her way out of a hail of bullets.

“Wow, I guess four guns being pointed at me is better than being chased by zombies, am I right?” The stranger remarked sarcastically, slowly raising her arms above her head. She waited silently for the other women in the room to make a move, nearly jumping from her skin when an unseen hand reached out to grab her shoulder.

“Lucy?” Jesse’s familiar voice questioned from besides her, relief swelling in her chest. The shorter woman was quick to embrace her coworker when Eliza turned on the light, revealing two (and a half) familiar faces in the room.

“Jesus Christ, it’s good to see your face, Jesse.” Her relief tripled when she caught the eye of her boss over the assistant’s shoulder. “Glad to see the Best Luthor is here too.”

Lena lowered her gun, stepping towards the former Army Major turned security specialist with a kind smile. She gestured for the sisters to put their weapons down and allow her employee a moment to catch her breath after obviously running for her life.

Of course, Alex refused and kept her weapon raised until Kara explains.

“Put your gun down, Alex. This is Lucy Lane, she’s the Head of Security at L Corp.” Her sister eyed the woman still hugging Jesse with suspicion until Eliza swatted her arm and pushed her back toward the living room.

“Let’s give Miss Lane a moment to breathe. There’s no need for such hostility with the world falling apart. I raised you better than that, Alexandra.” The adult woman groaned audibly at her mother’s scolding and grumbled under her breath, before choosing to stand guard from the loveseat across the room. Eliza ignored one child in favor of directing the other upstairs to scavenge fresh clothes that might fit the shorter woman’s frame.

Once Kara disappeared, she concerned herself with retreating to the kitchen to fill a glass of water for their guest. By the time she rejoined the group, Lucy was wiping her face with a wet cloth, clearing away a thick layer of dried mud. Eliza directed Lena and Jesse to situate her on the couch across from Alex before placing the glass and a plate of crackers on the table between them. Kara cleaned the broken glass from beneath the door, Lucy’s failed attempt at finding away into the only house with lights on the beach strip.

“You won’t believe how relieved I am to have found you guys. I really thought I was a goner out there,” Lucy told them between slips of water and bites of cracker. “I survived through quite a few scrapes in the Army, but these zombies are no joke.”

“You were in the Army?” Alex asked, suddenly more relaxed knowing their new guest was actually trained for and experienced combat, unlike the other four women in the house. Clearly, Jesse and Lena had unofficial training, unsurprising for two women who traveled the world on numerous projects, occasionally to dangerous areas. She wondered what sort of predicaments the smaller woman survived overseas.

Having been assigned to dozens of security details while working for the FBI, Alex understood that there were times when plans failed and the people they were assigned to protect had to defend themselves. Being capable of shooting a gun straight was a lifesaving skill to have. As much as her mother loathed her job, her daughters were both beyond prepared to handle the steaming pile of shit presented to them now.

When Kara moved to National City, Alex made sure to sign her sister up for self-defense classes and took her to the gun range whenever there was time, but the younger woman never had to fire a gun at an actual person. Until today, at least, if Lena’s story from earlier was to be believed. While she seemed fine now, the reality of taking another life would set in soon. Alex still felt shame for leaving her sister behind, despite her returning to their home unharmed. Their mother was a wave of fury when her eldest daughter informed her of Kara’s plan to escape the city with Lena Luthor, the woman she’d only known for a few months. Eliza read her the riot act, a scolding that she certainly deserved, and would be rehashed when their mother found out about the events from earlier in the day.

While her mom was aware that she had Kara in self-defense courses, the weapons training as a secret between the sisters. They knew Eliza was already unhappy with Alex working for the Bureau and did not want her worrying any more than was necessary. Though, there was a strong chance their cover was already blown if her reaction to Kara strapped with an assault rifle earlier was any indication. That would be a conversation for another day.

“Yeah, I did two tours in Afghanistan before going to law school and joining JAG.” Lucy informed the pretty redhead that she presumed is Kara’s sister. She only met the youngest Danvers once after Lena requested she be given a permanent security pass to enter the administrative building of L Corp. There were very few people that the CEO trusted, so Lucy was desperate to learn just how they ended up in this small beach town instead of the bugout shelter detailed in the company wide email sent when the city fell.

When the dark haired woman raised her arm to finish her glass of water, Lena spotted the tear in her sleeve, obscuring a four inch gash down her forearm.

“Lucy, you’re bleeding,” she shouted, reaching for the woman’s wrist and delicately pulled the fabric up. Eliza was already returning with her medical bag when the major tried to downplay the seriousness of her injury. Her hands were protected by latex gloves when she cut away the fabric and started cleaning the wound with a gentle touch.

“I only have a topical anesthetic, so this is going to hurt still. I apologize.” Eliza grimaced as she applied the gel around the wound with a wooden stick. Her patient simply nodded, having experienced medical care in the field more than once. There wasn’t always time for pain reduction when danger was coming around the corner.

“Damn zombies chased me into the woods. Couldn’t see and tripped over something. Probably cut my arm then.” Lucy murmured while Doctor Danvers worked on her arm. Hearing the word ‘zombies’, Alex stood to move the window’s curtain aside, inspecting the darkness for any sign of the infected. She was worried the horde that chased Lucy towards their home would find them sooner rather than later. They would have to abandon their current position before sunrise and she did not like the idea of traveling with impaired visibility.

“Lucy, how did you end up in Midvale?” Lena asked, handing Eliza a needle and surgical thread to begin closing the gash.

“I stopped just inside of town to look for gas and ended up with a flat tire on my bike.” The major told them, shaking the lingering cloudiness from her head and testing her arm’s mobility after the final stitch was placed. “I was walking through town to find help when a horde caught wind of me. Managed to take out a dozen or so before I ran out of ammo. Lost them in the woods and ended up here. I pretty much kept running full speed until I saw the lights out here.”

“Then, we can’t stay here tonight. It’s too dangerous if there’s a horde nearby.” Alex warned them authoritatively. When no one moved to disagree with her, she directed them to prepare for their departure, following her mother and Jesse upstairs to change.

When she returned downstairs, Lucy was wearing the ill fitted clothes Kara had retrieved earlier, looking especially small in Alex’s volleyball t-shirt and rolled up jeans. The redhead stopped at the last step and watched the woman as she fidgeted with her borrowed clothing. While she was unassuming in stature, there was something imposing about Lucy Lane that piqued her curiosity. She was so distracted that she didn’t notice the brunette staring back at her with equally inquisitive look.

“Since your bike is out of commission, you should ride with my mom in the SUV.” The eldest Danvers sister informed her. She removed one of the handguns from her thigh holster, inspecting the chamber before handing it off to Lucy. “The rest of us will be armed, so you shouldn’t need to use this, especially with your injury. But, I’d rather be safe than sorry.”

“Thanks,” she replied, sliding the gun into her waist, “So, what alphabet soup organization do you work for, Agent Danvers?” Lucy asked Alex, watching carefully as the taller woman stopped in front of her with her eyes narrowed in defiance. She snickered lightly which only makes the other woman’s expression deepen. She motioned to the functional haircut, black cargo pants, and thigh holsters the redhead was wearing. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you scream ‘Fed.’”

“Somehow, I’m still slightly offended by that,” Alex rolled her eyes playfully. The shorter woman smirked mischievously. “Funny how that works.”

“Don’t be,” Lucy flirted lightheartedly, “I happen to think the Kim Possible/ GI Jane look is hot.” She reached out to wrap her hand around Alex’s bicep. “Especially on feisty redheads.”

Alex’s heart thumped in her chest as Lucy openly appraised her. “You’re going to be trouble, aren’t you, Lane?” The dark haired woman simply laughed and turned away from the redhead

“The best kind of trouble.”

When Kara and Lena entered the room, they found Alex standing with her mouth wide open, eyes glued to Lucy Lane as she sauntered around the room like the cat who ate the canary. The woman don’t ask any questions in case they faced with some of their own, earlier _activities_ still fresh in their minds. They spent ten minutes organizing their backpacks and weapons before Eliza joined them.

With everyone clothed and armed, L Corp’s CEO informed them of their travel plans. Luckily, Doctor Danvers’ car was already packed with her and Alex’s personal items, meager possessions that soften the transition from normalcy to life under strict quarantine. There was still much of their lives being left behind, but the feeling of dissatisfaction would be unavoidable. They would have to learn to live with it.

“Is everyone ready to go?” Eliza asked. A chorus of ‘affirmative’ begins their journey to the L Corp shelter.

* * *

Alex and the major were the first ones to depart the house, drawing their weapons as they scanned the property for infected persons. A dense fog has fallen across the beach, lowering the visibility of the road and woods around them, and the crashing sound of the waves against the sand was deafening to their ears. The combination of these two things was dangerous, leaving them seriously exposed to an attack they would not see or hear coming.

They exited the front door quietly, leaving the other members of their party behind as they diverge on the porch. The redhead went left as Lucy veered right, keeping their eyes and ears trained for intruders. When there was silence, save for the water, Alex called for the rest to join them outside. Though there hadn’t been a formal discussion about leadership, they freely followed her orders, even the major and CEO who were unaccustomed with taking directions from other people.

“Lucy, you’ll drive mom’s car.” As Eliza began to protest, she’s stopped short by her daughter’s commanding voice. “We don’t have time to argue, mom. Lucy has military training that you don’t. She should be behind the wheel.”

Kara placed a reassuring hand on her adoptive mother’s shoulder, “Alex is right, Eliza. I trust Lucy to keep you safe.” The woman exhaled deeply and nodded before walking to the passenger side door. When she was inside and secure, her eldest turned to the other women.

“Lena, since you know where this place is, you’ll lead the way with Jesse. Kara and I will take up the rear. Does that work for everyone?”

“Yes, that will work fine,” Lena responded. “You should also take these.” From her backpack, she pulled two boxes with the L Corp symbol and handed them to Alex and Lucy. “Inside these boxes are communication devices connected to the frequency of our helmets as well as prototypes for one of the gadgets I’ve been working on.”

Opening the boxes, the women automatically picked up the earpieces and pressed the small devices into their ears. They adjusted them slightly, finding that they were more comfortable than the government issued ones they were forced to use throughout their careers.

“I forget working for a tech genius has its perks,” The shorter woman remarked, smiling proudly at her boss, “I knew there was a reason I let you drag me away from the army, Luthor.”

“I seem to recall cool toys being just one the many perks you were offered with your employment.” Lena challenged, rolling her eyes as the major attached the second device to her wrist.

“Was having a smoking hot boss supposed to be a perk?” Lucy sassed back, unaware of the glare the youngest Danvers was sending her way. The blonde tabled this moment for a conversation in the future. She did not appreciate the way

Once the straps were adjusted, Lena took hold of her wrist to activate the device. Turned off, it looked like a simple wrist watch with a leather band. When the crown was pushed in, the miniaturized machine whirled to life and a holographic display encircled their wrists. Everyone, except Jesse, was in awe.

“Awesome, it’s just like the watch in Spy Kids, Alex!” Kara nudged her sister’s shoulder as she activated her own device. The other woman was silent as she reached out to touch the blue screen floating above her wrist. Though she did not physically make contact with the surface, the hologram still reacted. She began to flip though the various applications and pages.

“I actually based these off the Spy Watches from the movies. Fortunately, these can also tell time, unlike Machete’s gadget.” Lena informed them proudly, silently preening as Kara continued to sing her praises. “There’s a lot of cool stuff on here, but now isn’t the time to explore everything. On page one, you will find the application to change the frequency of your earpieces and the GPS programmed with directions to the facility. If we get separated, you’ll be able to see where everyone else is.”

“I have to admit, these are pretty cool, Luthor.” Alex complimented her before moving toward her own bike. “I always knew you would be a mega nerd.”

“Oh, you haven’t even seen how nerdy she is. Just ask her about Harry Potter and Star Trek.” Jesse teased, jumping out the way when her boss tried to swat her arm playfully. The women began to argue amongst themselves as they walk toward their bikes behind Eliza’s car, leaving the three others behind.

Just as Lucy moved to enter the driver’s side of the car, she turned back towards the sisters. “I promise to keep your mom safe, guys.” She expressed sincerely. There wasn’t a shred of doubt on their minds that the former army major would protect their mother with her life.

Without much fanfare, the entourage reversed from the drive way, leaving the Danvers home in their rearview mirrors.

* * *

The road was pitch black except for the blinding light of the high beams on the SUV and the tender glow of the moon above them. Lucy set the pace for their journey, maintaining a safe speed of 15 MPH as they’re forced to navigate abandoned vehicles along the highway. Though there were hundreds of cars littering their pathway, they don’t encounter a single soul for miles. With the obstructions, their trip to the safe house would take a few hours, but there wasn’t a sense of urgency. It was more important to arrive in one piece than to rush through the dark and wind up putting themselves in danger.

For the most part, they were quiet, only speaking to warn each other about overturned vehicles and collapsed light posts in front their path. Alex spent much of the time worrying about her sister, looking across the road to watch Kara every few minutes. The blonde was never this quiet and she’s waiting for the other shoe to drop. When the adrenaline for the day finally dissipated, she would be an absolute mess. Of the five women on their journey, Kara was the least prepared for the experience of taking a life. Even Eliza understood from the perspective a medical professional, being unable to save a life was heartbreaking.

Alex has vivid memories of her first time killing someone. Remembers the crimson blood as it oozed from the man’s chest and pooled on the linoleum floors of Grand Central Station. And, the smell, how it lingered on her clothes and seared her nostrils. Even after she scrubbed her skin until her flesh was red and raw, she couldn’t escape the scent of death. Drowned herself in the bottom of a bottle until she couldn’t recall her own name and the name of the would-be terrorist. She did not want to imagine his face every time she closed her eyes or think about the two little girls and wife he left behind to pursue a hopeless cause against the government Alex swore to uphold the laws of. He was a criminal who planned to kill hundreds and he needed to die to save those lives, but he still haunts Alex’s dreams.

Her sister was a senior at National City University when Alex takes the special assignment in New York City that ends in disaster. When she returns to the city they call home, Kara was buried between books and writing her thesis, too busy to visit her sister and see her falling apart at the seams. And, if she did, the redhead would never allow the young, optimistic woman to be touched by the dark clouds that loomed over her head. She played her role as big sister so well that she deserved an Oscar, determined to never allow the blonde to see her agony. For Kara, she would be the person she needed all those years ago.

“Kara, switch to channel 2.” The redhead couldn’t see her sister’s face, but knew she’s probably confused. However, she still raised her hand briefly to change frequencies with a button on the outside of her helmet.

“What’s up, Alex?” Kara asked her sister over the private frequency. She didn’t sound distressed like Alex expects her to.

“I just wanted to see how you’re doing. Today was a lot.” If her hands weren’t wrapped around the throttle and break, she would have waved off the redhead’s anxieties. She knew Alex was probably concerned about her mental well-being; after all, she did kill a man today. Several men actually. Well, they weren’t necessarily men anymore but she still took lives. There wasn’t any training her sister could have given her to prepare for the way a human skull looks when a bullet exploded through it.

“You don’t have to worry about me right now, Alex.” She tried to reassure the other woman. “I’m sure I’ll freak out everything later, but I’m letting that simmer on the backburner for now.”

“So, what’s got you inside your head? You haven’t been this quiet since mom caught you making out with Jen Garret in 10th grade.” Alex jested, laughing to herself at the memory of the unfortunate family dinner that look place after the incident. She swore Kara’s entire body would going to turn red as a cherry while their mother lectured the young girl on safe sex practices for queer women.

“It’s nothing.” She answered almost too quickly, throwing more force behind her tone.

“Doesn’t sound like nothing. Didn’t look like nothing when you and Lena came up the stairs.” Alex pointed out, raising her eyebrow beneath her helmet when the ton of Kara’s voice pitches higher.

“Ew, we’re not having this conversation, Alex.” Despite her protests, her sister continued.

“Definitely wasn’t nothing when Lucy called Lena hot. I thought you were gonna glare the poor woman to death.” The redhead was so busy reaming her sister to notice the car and motorcycles in front her abruptly stop.

“Alex!” Kara’s voice was uncomfortably loud in her ear before they both switch back to the first channel. Joining the conversation was useless because they could very clearly see what’s caused the other drivers to halt. Lena and Jesse had already dismounted their bikes and were cautiously advancing on the young boy standing in the road, blood dripping down from a gash on his forehead.

“You have to help my mom, please.” He begged them, pointing towards the crashed Maserati 20 feet from the road. The front end of the vehicle was wrapped around the body of a towering pine tree, smoke bellowing from under the crushed hood. At a distance, the overwhelming light from the SUV obscured his face, but Kara immediately recognized his voice.

“Carter? Is that you?” The boy rushed towards his mother’s former assistant, shoving past Lena and Jesse to wrap his arms around the blonde woman like a boa constrictor. Nearly tumbling over from the force, Kara held him close and stroked his messy, brown hair as he sobbed into her chest.

“Kara, you have to help my mom, the door won’t open and she isn’t waking up!” Except, he continued to clutch onto her body. Alex, Lena, and Jesse were already at the car, trying to force the driver side door open without much luck. Kara wanted to help, but she was unable to detangle the scared boy’s arms from her body. Luckily, Eliza appeared behind Carter, motioning for her daughter to hand the boy to her.

“Carter, this is my mom, Eliza. Stay with her, I’m going to help your mom. I promise she’ll be alright.” Cat’s son looked at her mother wearily before allowing himself to be lead to the backseat of the car. Her mom spoke smoothing words as she closed the door behind him and pointed to the trunk.

“There should be a crowbar in the back. You can use that to pry the door open.” The blonde nodded, racing to the back of the car to retrieve the crowbar from the side panel of the trunk. When she joined the other women, they were struggling to manually pry the door, their hands scraping against the fragments of broken glass in the window.

“Alex, catch!” She shouted, tossing the crowbar to her sister who pulled it from the air with one hand and immediately jammed the flat end between the metal near the door handle. The loud creak of the metal as she heaved the bar backwards echoed through the dense forest, unknowingly alerted the horde of zombies a short distance away. Kara was the first one inside the vehicle, placing two fingers on her boss’s neck and found a weak pulse. “Cat, can you hear me? It’s Kara. I’m going to get you out of here.” The CEO groaned under the force of Kara’s shaking, twisting her body trapped by the seat belt.

“Here, use this to cut the seat belt,” Lena handed her a small, curved knife from the pocket of her pants. It took several minutes for the karambit to slice through the seat belt, but that was enough time for the rest of their party to hear the roaring approach of zombies from the darkened forest. They each raised their weapons, pointing towards the sound of the stampede.

“Kara, we gotta go. They’re getting closer now.” The blonde exhaled audibly when the final piece of belt snapped under the pressure of the knife. She handed the blade back to Lena and wrapped her arms around the petite woman’s body, taking care to not jostle her neck as she lifted her from the vehicle. There was barely a second to adjust Cat in her arms before bullets began flying through the air.

As she raced across the grass, doing her best to hold Cat still, Alex and Jesse fired blindly into the woods. Wave after wave of bullets were hitting body after body, but their attackers persist, shoving each other as they pushed through the tree line. In just the few hours since the pandemic took a turn for the absolute worst, the infected had deteriorated even more, their skin a pale shade of green as flesh dripped from their bones. When she reached the car, Lena pulled open the door and Carter helped pull his mom into the backseat.

“Ok, time to move, people.” The CEO shouted as they slammed the door shut. She provided covering fire as her assistant and Alex darted back to their motorcycles, throwing their helmets on. Engines revving loudly, Lena and Jesse took off like lightening with the rest of the caravan following close behind them, zombies biting at their heels.

* * *

Thankfully, these zombies were not the ones from World War Z, though they were significantly faster than expected. They were able to follow the vehicles for half a mile through the slog of abandoned cars and trucks before giving up their chase. From behind the SUV, Kara could see Eliza examining Cat through the back window and asked Lucy for an update on her condition.

“Don’t worry, Little Danvers, your boss is awake. In and out of consciousness, and the worst patient ever, but she’s alive.” The driver voiced over the comms. Cat’s voice droned from behind her, sounding weak and in pain.

Eliza raised a hand to check her pulse again before opening a First Aid Kit to clean the wounds on her forehead. There wouldn’t be much more the doctor could do until a proper examination was completed; she hoped they hadn’t caused any lasting damage by extricating Cat from the car so carelessly. Hopefully, Lena’s facility had the equipment to perform X-rays and maybe a CT scan to ascertain if there was any spinal or internal damage. With luck, Miss Grant might walk away with scrapes and a concussion. When they arrived, the youngest Grant would need stitches for his injury.

“I should have known you would be cheeky like your sister, Lane.” Cat sassed before losing consciousness again. Kara laughed at her boss, who had been on a sabbatical since before the pandemic started. Last she checked, the eccentric almost billionaire was traveling overseas, but that was months ago. Even with travel restrictions, there wasn’t anyone willing to tell the Queen of All Media ‘no,’ so she was jumping from country to country providing supplies and resources for the communities hardest hit by the pandemic. Kara was the only one at Catco aware of this because Cat wasn’t looking for the praise; she supposed media moguls were allowed secrets too. Hell, her former assistant turned friend didn’t even know she was in town.

“How’s Carter? Is he alright?”

“The kid is as ok as can be expected. A little banged up, but far better than expected. He’s doing a good job helping Eliza check over his mom.” Lucy told her, using the rearview mirror to watch him briefly while he gentle cleaned Cat’s head wound with a Q-Tip. The journalist wished she could be there with them. Carter was a special kid and he wasn’t prepared for this kind of situation. With Cat out of commission, she should be there to support him, but staying on the road was of the utmost importance. The sooner they reached the facility, the sooner they could provide them both with the proper medical attention.

Luckily, their journey was greatly shortened when they are directed to take Exit 22 by the GPS, sending them straight toward the prison just as the sun began to peak over the sky. After a night of unbelievable darkness, Earth’s protector began to rise over the horizon, painting the sky with vibrant shades of crimson, gold, and copper. Like a hero, she didn’t need invitation as she chased away the blackness, beating back the chill from the air. Her light was a gift, a tender kiss upon their spirits, reminding the survivors that there was hope to be had.

Kara understood why Lena chose this location. For the final 20 miles of their travel, the land around them was completely devoid of human life. There are only a handful of stores or houses along the entire stretch of road. They drove through lush, green meadows on long neglected pavement, untouched by man’s desire to see high-rises and Walmarts on every inch of available land.

L Corp’s CEO was the first to breathe a sigh of relief when the soaring fortress rolls into view. Their vehicles came to a crawl as they progressed down the winding road to the entrance. Her relief, however, was cut short when the gates of the facility finally come into view.

“Everybody, stop, immediately!” She yelled over the comms. The vehicles behind her came to an abrupt stop with Alex and Kara halting in front of the SUV.

“What’s wrong, Lena?” The sisters asked simultaneously. She did not answer. Instead, she allowed Jesse to respond for her as she reached over her shoulder to unzip her backpack, removing a tablet from the inner pocket. When the device booted up, she flicked her finger until she found the program for the security camera in and around the building.

“There are only two people who have the codes needed to access those gates and we’re both right here.” Her assistant answered grimly.

“What does that mean?” Lucy asked from inside the car. They could hear Cat, Carter, and Eliza asking the same question.

“It means we have company.”

**Author's Note:**

> Remember, comments are like candy and I have a terrible sweet tooth.


End file.
